GOAL: Work Out More
ROAD TEST: I know that I'm supposed to work out on a
regular basis, but thanks to my crazy schedule (tons of appointments,
lunches, dinners, meetings, photo shoots, and business travel, oh my!),
that whole exercise scenario ends up being more theoretical than actual.
Enter the ultimate multitasking tool: the FitDesk, a compact "pedal
desk" that harkens back to the goofy stationary bikes of ye olde days
but is updated to accommodate a computer so you can cycle at the office.
While the work-out-while-you-work concept isn't so foreign to me—I once
replaced my desk chair with an exercise ball—the FitDesk takes some
getting used to. For one, it's hard to maneuver around the thing. Also,
my largish computer monitor won't balance on the desk platform, so I
have to downgrade to a laptop. Once it's all set up, I aim to cycle five
minutes per hour at a speed that won't get me too sweaty, but every
time I get on the bike, I end up scrambling off to talk to someone,
which is kind of a pain. It also makes me realize that my office days
are already pretty active. My secret to productivity? Swiftly walking to
coworkers' desks for in-person convos, which eliminates the need for
time-wasting e-mail chains.